>>>>>>WHHOOOOOOOOOSHHHHHHH>>>>>>Fascist Dictator of the Heath Davis Appreciation SocietySupporting Petone's Finest since the very start - Iain O'Brien
Adam Wheater - Another batsman off the Essex production line
Also Supporting the All Time #1 Batsman of All Time Ever - Jacques Kallis and the much maligned Peter Siddle.

East CWLand have named a full-strength squad to take on Spain in Logrono on March 5. With in form players Jefferson Drake & Randy Smeltz leading the charge, the Easterners will rate themselves a huge chance of picking up a result in Spain who will be intent on making up for their quarter final failure last season.

After taking a 4-1 win over rivals West CWLand earlier this month, the East made one change with Jamee Hancianu out for in form player Jarkko Maxum. He will be there mainly for experience, with Drake expected to play two singles rubbers as well as the doubles with regular partner Martti Korpinen.

Squad: Jefferson Drake, Martti Korpinen, Jarkko Maxum, Randy Smeltz.

Blanco withdraws from East CWLand clash

Spain's Davis Cup chances have been dealt a huge blow with news that Daniel Páez Blanco will not appear in the March 5-7 tie against DR CWLand in Logrono. Blanco, unbeaten on clay in the Open Era, has spent time out with a neck strain after his Australian Open final earlier this month and chose not to risk it in the clash ahead of the North American Masters swing.

Spain chose Marc Carretero ahead of the higher ranked player Javier Villaneuva to take his place in the squad.

Squad: Ion Andueza, Marc Carretero, Sanchez Emelio, Sergio Joaquín.

Player nominations announced for World Group

The player nominations have been submitted ahead of the Davis Cup by BNP Paribas World Group first round ties, being played from 5-7 March.

Radivoj Daneu and Daniel Micic lead Serbia's title defence alongside Dusko Milosevic and Savo Petkovia. Serbia were shock winners last season after beating the likes of the United States and Spain, and will begin away from home in Buenos Aires.

Argentina also come into the tie full strength with World No. 11 Juan Moreno being supported in the singles line-up by Paolo Mandonna. The Argentines were beaten first round last year on their home courts, and will hope to reverse that result this time.

The big news coming out of Spain is that World No. 2 Daniel Paez Blanco will not be representing his country in the much-anticipated tie against East CWLand in Logrono. Instead, Sanchez Emelio and Sergio Joaquin will likely lead the team against a very dangerous East CWLand pair of Jefferson Drake and Randy Smeltz.

Finally, Porec in Croatia hosts the other big clash against the Czech Republic. On Sunday in Marseille, Radek Spidla comfortably accounted for Miroslav Brdar and will no doubt take that form into his likely showdown away from home against the World No. 14. He does, however, have to contend with the surface; Spidla's Achilles heel has been his form on clay and he will no doubt be tested by Brdar and Nilikar Midid on it.

Among other top players to be nominated for their nations are the United States' Jason Hall and Darcy Cowan, Great Britain's Henry Charles, Switzerland's Almen Benaglio and Russia's Dmitry Orlov.

A tremendous fightback from Spain's makeshift No. 1 player Sanchez Emelio has allowed the home side to be level at 1-1 after the end of the first day of play in Logrono. As distinct underdogs following the withdrawals of Daniel Páez Blanco and Ion Andueza, the locals needed a big start as Emelio took on World No. 15 Randy Smeltz. They didn't get it as the in form East CWLander dominated a one-sided first set to secure it 6-1. But after a horror start, Emelio began to fight back and with a break in the sixth game of the set advanced to a 4-2 lead. He built on that, and soon was level at a set a piece.

He might have gone ahead two sets to one, but from 5-2 and 30-0 he blew it completely as Smeltz crushed a backhand winner to secure a fifth straight game and a 7-5 set. Looking the better player, Smeltz moved to 2-0 in the fourth before a bungled backhand volley went slightly wide to allow the local back into the match. Smeltz approached the net five times in the fourth set for no reward; broken twice as Emelio sent it to a fifth and deciding set. There he proved too good as on the back of a typically parochial Spanish crowd he stormed to a 5-0 lead. Smeltz, whose ranking has risen massively over the past month, was not going down without a fight as he gave Emelio a scare to bring it back to 3-5. It was a bridge too far, though, for Smeltz as he could not produce good enough a comeback as Emelio secured the 1-0 lead 1-6, 6-3, 5-7, 6-4, 6-3.

Sanchez Emelio def. Randy Smeltz, 1-6, 6-3, 5-7, 6-4, 6-3.

With an early upset in the books, Costa do Sauípe champion Sergio Joaquín was after a second as he took on a man in fine form in Jefferson Drake. Whilst it has been a long time between drinks for Drake since appearing on clay, he was immense as he claimed the title in Dubai last week and was an overwhelming favourite to level the tie. In a tough first set filled with uncharacteristic errors from both players, it was Drake who surged ahead with a late break to secure it 6-3 in fifty-eight tough minutes. Despite the early setback, Joaquín was not about to lie down as he started to find his form again following a series of early exits following Brazil. In yet another long set, it was Joaquín who survived eight break points to level the match at a set each.

Drake continued to create chances on the Joaquín serve but yet again failed to convert in the third. It took a tiebreaker for him to this time secure a two-sets to one lead in a match that had already gone for three draining hours and twelve minutes. But after so much effort for little reward, Joaquín lost his composure early in the fourth and fell away dramatically as Drake wrapped it up in thirty-two minutes 6-3, 6-7(5), 7-6(5), 6-1 ahead of tomorrow's doubles rubber.

Jefferson Drake def. Sergio Joaquín, 6-3, 6-7(5), 7-6(5), 6-1.

FRIDAY NEWS

Buenos Aires - Danijel Micic has survived a massive fightback from Juan Moreno to give the defending champions a massive 2-0 lead heading into Saturday's doubles tie against Argentina. Micic dropped the third and fourth sets comfortably, before coming back to secure a 6-3, 6-2, 4-6, 1-6, 7-5 win.

Winston-Salem, NC: Wimbledon champion Darcy Cowan was stunned in four sets by Romanian journeyman Bogdan Maurer to give the visitors a slight sniff at 1-1 after the opening rubbers. After Jason Hall beat the youngest ever World Group entrant George Costea 6-1, 6-0, 6-2, Maurer levelled the tie with a shock 6-4, 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 win.

Porec, Croatia: For the first time since the French Open, Radek Spidla has appeared on clay and did it tough in a 7-6(3), 3-6, 6-2, 6-4 win over Nilikar Midid. Earlier, Miroslav Brdar was too good for Petr Brozik to give Croatia the early lead.

Bree, Belgium: Belgium look destined to head back to the play-offs after Mark Harmel gave up a two sets to love lead against Dmitry Orlov. After Yves Parmentier failed to back up his hard court displays in Copenhagen, Harmel held a 6-1, 6-4 lead before Orlov came back to give the second seeds a 2-0 lead with a 1-6, 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-2, 9-7.

East CWLand have been left with it all to do on Sunday to remain in the World Group after falling down 1-2 after a shock doubles loss to makeshift pairing Marc Carretero & Sanchez Emelio. With Carretero drafted into the doubles pairing at short notice following the injury to Ion Andueza, the World No. 4 team Jefferson Drake & Martti Korpinen would have expected to give their team the lead heading into the reverse singles rubbers.

Carretero, 20, has been touted as the next big thing in Spanish tennis, and despite some indifferent early season form did enough to get called into the squad. He did not let the Logrono crowd down as he looked at home early with some impressive work at the back of the court and at the net. In a tight first set, it was the local pair that drew first blood; taking the set 7-5 as Emelio passed Korpinen at the net with a deep backhand drive.

It looked like business as usual in the second, though, as the Australian Open finalists started to lift their intensity; breaking serve twice to seal the set in thirty-five minutes. But the clay has not been their speciality, and they quickly fell behind the ball again as Drake's normally dangerous service was countered by some effective returning. Down 2-4, the visitors drew back to 5-5 but were again hamstrung as the Spaniards went ahead two sets to one.

With victory in sight, the Spanish lifted their intensity in the fourth and removed any chance of a DR CWLand fightback as Emelio and Carretero soared to a shock 7-5, 2-6, 7-5, 6-3 upset. They need just one win from the reverse singles matches tomorrow which are likely to be Emelio against Drake, and Sergio Joaquín against Randy Smeltz.

Jefferson Drake has earned a measure of revenge for his doubles loss yesterday as he easily accounted for World No. 26 Sanchez Emelio in a must-win contest to keep East CWLand in the first round tie. Just one loss away from returning to the World Group play-offs, Drake was breathing fire early as he thrashed a shellshocked Emelio early with some heavy hitting and high-energy tennis. In a first set which lasted just 36 minutes, Drake landed huge blows with eleven winners to take the set 6-1 to leave the Logrono crowd silent.

Emelio began to work his way back into rallies in the second, and started creating chances on the Drake serve. But with five break point opportunities for the set, Emelio failed to covert any and it was the East CWLander who had everything to smile about as he secured a late break to move to two sets to love. Emelio needed something special in the third, but yet again could not secure the much-needed break despite three more opportunities as Drake, with four from eleven of his own chances, levelled the tie at 2-2 with a 6-1, 7-5, 6-4 win to end a fairly successful weekend for him individually.

This afternoon, Randy Smeltz looks to avenge his surprising loss on Friday against World No. 39 Sergio Joaquín.

Jefferson Drake def. Sanchez Emelio, 6-1, 7-5, 6-4.

SUNDAY NEWS

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina. Despite a strong showing on Friday, Radivoj Daneu still looks to be struggling for form as he was beaten 3-6, 3-6 by Juan Moreno. The result does not particularly matter as Serbia are already through to the second round, but Miguel Bertolotto will look to reduce it to a 2-3 loss this afternoon when he faces Dusko Milosevic.

STOCKHOLM, Sweden. They will face Sweden in the quarter finals after Björn Donaldson wrapped it up for the local team against Japan's Ninteh Doh with a straightforward 6-2, 4-6, 6-1, 6-0 win.

WINSTON-SALEM, NC, USA. World No. 1 Jason Hall made light work of a brave Bogdan Maurer to secure the US an unassailable 3-1 lead. The USA are favourites to win the competition, but Darcy Cowan will not get the chance to avenge his loss earlier in the week as Hugh James faces teenager George Costea.

GENEVA, Switzerland. He may not be in the greatest of form on the ATP circuit, but Almen Benaglio has secured a quarter final place for Switzerland with a 7-5, 6-3, 6-1 win over Jefferson Quezada. Chile have had obvious problems with the carpet surface this week, and will be happy to have even taken a point on it.

WIMBLEDON, London, England. It gets worse for Great Britain as they slumped to a 0-4 deficit at home to Austria. Smarting with the loss of Henry Charles to injury last week, the Brits have been embarassed on the famous grass courts. The newest victim was Oscar Highsmith who fell 4-6, 0-6 to Heinz Hainisch.

POREC, Croatia. Radek Spidla has made a disappointing return to the clay as he was unable to keep the Czech Republic in the tie against Croatia. World No. 11 Miroslav Brdar overcame a second set hiccup to control the match on the red clay with a strong 6-3, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 win.

BREE, Belgium. The tie in Belgium comes down to a final showdown between Mark Harmel and Boris Denisov after Yves Parmentier stunned Dmitry Orlov in straight sets. After Russia originally led the tie 2-0, they've dropped the last two points as Parmentier completed his resurgance after Friday's loss with a 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 upset.

Randy Smeltz has secured East CWLand's place in the quarter finals of the Davis Cup after thumping Spanish No. 3 Sergio Joaquín in straight sets. After a surprise loss on Friday to Sanchez Emelio, the pressure was all on Smeltz to hit back with a victory to keep his nation's Davis Cup hopes alive. In a tense start, Smeltz failed to covert any of his four break points as Joaquín struggled to stay in the set. He relied primarily on some rare unforced errors from Smeltz to hold his way to 5-5 before he framed a backhand about three feet long to give the World No. 15 the first break of service. That break opened the floodgates as the DR CWLander destroyed Joaquín by claiming fourteen of the last fifteen games in a dominant display. Joaquín, who looked so impressive in the first round, barely gave himself a chance of taking a game off the Easterner's serve as Smeltz tightened up his game considerably and surged to a dominant 7-5, 6-0, 6-1 win.

East CWLand now play their quarter final against Austria on July 9-11 after the Austrians completed a 4-1 drubbing of Great Britain. The Brits offered nothing on their home courts, and only took a consolation point after Sebastian Moss defeated Martin Reiter 2-6, 6-4, 6-3.

SUNDAY NEWS

BREE, Belgium. Teenage sensation Boris Denisov has secured two singles wins this weekend to ensure season I finalists Russia remain in the hunt for another final. Denisov came from two sets to one down to beat veteran Mark Harmel 6-3, 4-6, 3-6, 6-1, 6-3.

Well done to the East. It would be churlish to mention that you only won because their best players was injured, so that's what I just did.

Founder of ESAS - Edgar Schiferli, the best associate bowler
A follower of the schools of Machiavelli, Bentham, Locke, Hobbes, Sutcliffe, Bradman, Lindwall, Miller, Hassett and Benaud
Member of JMAS, DMAS, FRAS and RTDAS

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